The Ice Queen and the Cupcake
by DetectiveMinerva
Summary: In preparing for Sybbie's Frozen-themed birthday party, Violet and Isobel find themselves dressing up like Elsa and Anna - and reflecting yet again on their friendship and how much they are like the Snow Sisters of Arendelle. Modern AU; sequel to "Snow Sisters" and prequel to "Warm Hugs;" reuploaded in honor of the upcoming Frozen II!


This is an old story of mine, reuploaded in honor of the upcoming _Frozen II - _and in honor of the friendship and sisterhood between Violet and Isobel. In this modern AU, the sequel to "Snow Sisters" and the prequel to "Warm Hugs," Violet and Isobel are preparing for Sybbie's _Frozen_-themed birthday party, trying on their costumes and engaging in the banter we all love them for!

* * *

"You look like a cupcake in that dress."

"Well, that _is _what the trolls called Anna, so thank you!"

"I'm just not sure about those colors."

"What's wrong with them? Ultramarine and fuschia happen to go splendidly together. You just prefer pairing everything with black."

"And what is so wrong with that? Black goes with everything."

"Says the woman who stated that no one wants to kiss a girl in black. Explains a lot about you, don't you think?"

"How about you kiss my bum?"

"No thanks. I don't want my lips to freeze to it. _Ouch! _Blimey, you've got bony elbows."

"No, you just have sensitive ribs."

"And what in God's name would you know about sensitivity?"

"I've given birth to two children. Once you've done that, you know a bloody lot about what's sensitive and what isn't. _Ouch!_ God Almighty..."

"No, it's Isobel, but good guess."

Violet Grantham rolled her eyes as her cousin fiddled with what seemed like an endless assortment of pins and needles at the back of her costume. Whose bright idea it had been to throw her great-granddaughter a _Frozen-_themed birthday party, she didn't know, but she vowed right then and there that she would kill whoever the sadistic nutter was. Had it not been for that little dropped hint, she would not be standing here in the middle of her bedroom, draped in sequins, satin, and floaty gauze while she was tweaked and adjusted in the back like a windup doll. "You shouldn't think you're God, you know. That's my job," she said drily.

Isobel Crawley snickered and gave the long length of pale blue fabric in her hands a test yank. Upon seeing that it gave slightly, she resumed her tinkering. "A blue blood with a God complex, now there's a novelty."

"I'm only kidding and you know it. I may be opinionated, but I don't think I'm God any more than you think you're Margaret Thatcher."

"No, Vi; you're the iron lady here. Although I think the proper title at the moment would be _ice queen_."

"Please, Isobel, for the love of all that is holy, don't start that again. I've been called that enough in my life, and it's bad enough that now I have to dress up as one for the party."

"I thought you loved Elsa. You said you identified with her."

"I did and I do."

"Then what is the problem? I have no problem going as Anna."

"Of course you don't. Anna is an incurable optimist with stars in her eyes, just like you. Elsa, on the other hand..." Violet turned around to face her cousin, blue eyes locking with ones the color of mulled scotch. "Well, you already know how much Elsa and I are alike. It's just that the last thing I need is for anyone else to rub it in."

"Vi." Isobel put her hands on Violet's shoulders and squeezed gently, lines blossoming from the corners of her eyes as she smiled. "Remember what I told you the day we went to see _Frozen_? Underneath that icy shell beats a warm heart. You are more like the Elsa that Anna knew and loved, not the one that Arendelle feared."

"You really think so?"

"Of course I do. Take it from an incurably optimistic, starry-eyed cupcake." Isobel winked and turned her cousin around. "Now hold still. I just need to make one more adjustment to this cape." A few minutes passed before Isobel let out a triumphant "Done!" She nudged Violet in the back. "Go on and face the mirror."

Violet turned toward the mirror on the wall and felt a wave of astonishment crash over her. The dress shimmered and glittered in the sunlight pouring through the window, throwing brilliant flashes of blue all over the room. She blushed slightly at her bared shoulders, though her arms and upper chest were wrapped in sheer blue organza. The bodice of the dress, which plunged modestly in a sweetheart neckline, sparkled with sapphire-blue sequins, and the skirt, slit to two inches above her right knee, touched the floor in a swirl of ice-blue satin. The blue organza cape, which Isobel had attached to the back of the dress's bodice, flowed behind her and glimmered with silvery white snowflakes. "My Lord," Violet breathed, hardly daring to believe that was her in the mirror. "I actually look _pretty._"

Isobel's reflection joined hers in the mirror's shiny surface, her expression one of disbelief. "Violet, you've _always _been pretty. All you've done is put on a nice dress. The rest of it is entirely you."

Violet chuckled softly, her hands gathering the cape around her as she examined her reflection again. Isobel had done her makeup in a scheme similar to Elsa's - a blend of purple and magenta shadow coating her eyelids, the palest pink blush dusting her cheeks, and a light fuchsia color making her lips pop against her white skin. Thankfully, she didn't have to wear a platinum blonde wig to match Elsa's hair. Isobel had told her that her own, short but thick and strawberry-blonde, would do nicely. And Violet had to admit that the shades of blue in the dress intensified the color of her hair, making it shine a brilliant rose-gold. "Isobel, you've worked magic. Thank you."

If Isobel had just been gifted a bouquet of roses or a diamond necklace, she could not have been more pleased. She loved her stubborn cousin like a sister, but also knew that Violet did not dole out praise liberally. A word of true praise from her was a great honor, and Isobel always cherished each one. "You're welcome, dear, but it was nothing."

"Nothing? You made these costumes yourself; I'd hardly call it nothing." Violet turned away from the mirror to get a good look again at Isobel's costume, a replica of Anna's winter gown and cloak. Isobel had sewn the bodice of black velvet, trimmed it with gold satin ribbon, and embroidered it with pink tulips and swirling green vines. The skirt and cloak she had fashioned from wool, ultramarine and fuschia respectively, and she wore a high-collared, turquoise blouse underneath the frock itself to complete the outfit. Like Violet, Isobel was not wearing a wig. Rather, she had taken temporary spray-on hair dye from the novelty shop and sprayed a white streak among the locks of her chestnut hair.

"You know, you ought to keep that after the party's over," Violet said, flicking Isobel's hair where the streak of white was. "Or at least skip a section the next time you color your hair."

Isobel frowned, but her eyes were sparkling. "How do you know I color my hair?"

"Darling, once we reach a certain age, there are certain things that we can no longer pretend are natural. Hair color just happens to be one of them."

Isobel laughed. "In that case, I suppose I ought to be grateful that neither one of us has ever gotten breast implants. You haven't, right?"

"Isobel." Violet put her hands on her hips and shot her cousin a cynical look. "The idea of my getting implants at this age would be like installing two new airbags in a rusted car." A smile tugged at her pink-rouged lips while Isobel doubled over laughing. "Come on, my Anna. We have a party to go to. _Come on_," she insisted, grabbing Isobel's hands and pulling her upright while she continued to giggle helplessly. "Your elder sister commands you."

A few more chuckles escaped Isobel before she cleared her throat and straightened her skirt. "Yes, Elsa. Heaven knows no one will want to miss the ice queen putting on a show for the first time in forever."

"Isobel..." Violet slipped an arm around her cousin's shoulders and gave her a short hug as they departed for the party. "Let it go."


End file.
